Grudge
by KlainesSecretChild
Summary: Spencer Hastings is A. This is her story of her life as a murderer.
1. New Beginnings

Grudge

_**Spencer Hastings is A. This is her story of her life as a murderer. **_

**Alison didn't get messages from 'A' in this. **

Chapter 1- New Beginnings

Alison DiLaurentis has always been a frenemy of mine. On one hand, she was one of my best friends that I shared everything with and she brought me closer to Hanna, Emily and Aria, my other best friends. I'm thankful for that. However, on the other hand, she would always pick on us. She would be ridiculously mean to Hanna about her weight or how she was unpopular before she befriended Alison. After my little fling with Ian Thomas, Melissa's boyfriend, Alison was the one to confront me about it. She threatened to spill the secret to Melissa if I didn't. We had argued about it constantly, and it got to the point where I was sick of having her around. I needed to protect the other girls as well, to save them from relentless ridicule from Alison.

That's why I did what I did.

When I look back on it, I wouldn't say I was proud of what I did. I mean, it was subtle, and so nobody would guess, but I wasn't happy with being a murderer. It was what needed to be done. The majority of the time, Alison was a harsh cloud of poison that lingered above you until you complied with her demands. I was very discreet with what I did. The hit to the head and the burial. Quite clever of me, if I do say so myself.

Then, the complications arrived.

This is my story.

**Three years earlier**

I stumble back towards the barn where Aria, Hanna and Emily are probably still sleeping, none the wiser about my little activity concerning Alison. To my utmost surprise, they are awake, but by the looks of Hanna's eyes, not for very long.

"Spencer, what happened? Where's Ali?" Aria questions

So it begins.

"I don't know. I've looked everywhere for her. For a while. No luck." I lie very convincingly. Emily looks distraught. Poor Emily. I knew about her love for Alison. As more than a friend, I mean. She admired Alison and worshipped the ground she walked on. I knew they had kissed in the school library. I happened to be there at the right time to catch them. Obviously, I remained hidden inconspicuously in the corner of the library to avoid being spotted. Being caught would be dangerous. Especially with Alison involved. I've taken care of that. It won't happen again. Of course it won't. She's dead.

"What do you think happened to her?" Hanna asks me.

"Could be anything. She'll be alright. She's tough." I reply with a straight face. Emily nods along with me.

"I hope she's okay." Emily whispers, a distant look in her eyes and her eyebrows furrowing.

"Trust me, Em. Alison will be fine." I say.  
"We need to go home." Aria suggests and we vacate the barn and leave the memory of the night behind us.

Well, I don't. I never will.

Ever since that night, we've all led pretty different lives. Things change, I guess. Aria and her parents and brother moved to Iceland. Quite a huge change for them. I first thought it was because of Alison, but then I remembered a night at a sleepover which gave me all I needed to know.

FLASHBACK

"Goodnight, Spencer." Aria whispered. She was still in her afternoon clothing, which suggested to me that she wasn't going to sleep. I feigned exhaustion and pretended to fall asleep. As soon as I found my breathing pattern, Aria slipped out of the door and down the stairs. Hanna and Emily were fast asleep already, so they wouldn't wake up for anything. Especially Hanna. She had a tendency to snooze through loud noises.

I thrash the sheets away from me and stealthily creep down the stairs after Aria. I hear hushed arguments coming from the living area. She was arguing with her father, I realised.

"Just tell Mom!" Aria shouted in a fierce whisper.

"I can't tell your mother that I cheated on her, she'd want a divorce. I can't do that to you and Mike."

"You already have when you kissed Meredith." My eyes widened in shock. Byron cheated on Ella with Meredith? I smiled in triumph. Now I had ammo on Aria and Emily.

Now for Hanna. My eyes glinted devilishly as I relished the opportunity of torturing my friends. Confusion overwhelmed me as I questioned my motives. I killed Alison and I had reason for it. She could have ruined my life. Aria? Aria was a nice girl. I suppose on some level it was about being competitive with Melissa. Being powerful over someone kept me alive. My parents were all about Melissa. So, I guessed having some authority (even if it was hidden) would feel like personal victory.

I didn't know what meticulous method I would use to torture these liars, but I knew it would be enthralling.

It was three weeks later when I found my ammo to use against Hanna.

I walked into her house after her mother let me in before Ashley Marin ran up the stairs to jump in her bath. I heard a sickening choking noise from the Marin's downstairs bathroom and went to find the source. Only to find Hanna leaning over the toilet, vomiting her breakfast into the toilet.

"Hanna?" I inquired as to what she was doing there.

I always knew Hanna was insecure about her weight and even started strenuous exercise regimes to attempt to lose some weight. I felt sorry for her. Alison not being supportive obviously disheartened her and that's why caused her to end her regimes.

"It's not what you think it is, Spence. I just felt sick." Hanna lied to me. Unlike me, she wasn't very believable.

"Hanna, do you do this a lot?" I asked caringly, because I did honestly like Hanna. She was fun and high spirited unlike Aria who had quite a dark personality. Emily was quite serious a lot of the time. I liked some fun once in a while.

"Look, please don't tell anybody. Not even Aria and Emily."

"Or Alison?"  
"She already knows. She taught me to do it."

"She WHAT? Hanna, this could make you really ill. You need to see somebody." I was falling into a place where I began to care about Hanna.

"You know what, Spence? Don't tell me what I can or can't do! You sound just like Ali!" Hanna bellowed and stormed upstairs. I took that as my cue to leave and plot.

This would be fun.

Alison's body was discovered as Maya St Germaine's family were undergoing reconstruction. A little fragment of me was terrified that I would be discovered. The rest of me was confident that my handiwork was sufficient enough to remain hidden. I had the ammo. I had the initiative. I had the method.

Why not use text messages? One thing I knew about Aria, Hanna and Emily was that they always had their phones with them. I needed to send some to myself to avoid suspicion, but this would be easy. I recently had a contact called Caleb Rivers install a function on my own phone that would block the recipient from replying and be unable to find the number. And it would delay the message. I would set a timer on the message and it would send when the timer runs out, to again wave of all suspicion.

I was all set.

I got stuck in when involving the funeral that I completely forgot about the next stage of my plan.

Recruitment.

I needed to recruit some other members to join me in my cause. People that also had long grudges against Alison. People that I could trust. It would make sense to involve Hanna, but two people out of the four would be conspicuous. I started close to home.

Melissa.

She hated Alison for showing interest her boyfriend Ian. Ali would flirt with Ian constantly and would attempt to rid Ian of Melissa by pointing out her giant flaws.

I took out my phone and dialled Melissa's number. A quick explanation ensured her secrecy. I twisted some of the details, but the important thing was that it worked.

Melissa was on my side. She could convince Wren, her current boyfriend and possibly get in touch with Ian and we'd have a team.

My next contact was Jenna Marshall. After the Jenna Thing, where Alison had blinded her and blamed it on Toby Cavanaugh (her stepbrother) and made Toby go to reform school, Jenna hated Alison and would definitely join me.

I approached the giant house where Jenna lived and knocked on the jet black door hesitantly. No, to accomplish this, I'd have to be determined. My courage kicked in as Jenna opened the door.

"Hello, Jenna. It's Spencer Hastings. I have a proposition for you."

"Hello, Spencer. I'm listening."

I explained my plan and Jenna enthusiastically agreed to help. Three definite members and two maybes.

This was it.

I decided on a name for the group.

The A-Team. Each message would be signed by –A, to make the girls think that Alison was back. I had three –A's and was ready for business.

I deployed my first message to all of them shortly after Aria had returned.

**Look out, bitches. I'm back. **

**-A **

I was back.

And ready for action.


	2. A Wicked Plot

Chapter 2- A Wicked Plot

I stand with my 'friends': Hanna Marin, Emily Fields and Aria Montgomery outside Hanna's house. I deployed every dreg of my drama talent to keep my poker face and not let my hidden agenda slip.

"Guys, I've been thinking about A." Aria pipes up sharply.

"Please, that's all I've thought about." I reply slyly. It isn't a lie. A is all I've thought about. I've been speaking with Jenna a lot lately. We had discussed our motives in depth and realised that we both resented Alison with a passion. She would constantly use us as her little workers. She ruined Jenna's life. She possibly could ruin Hanna's, even after she met her end.

"I just keep worrying. What if this bitch knows things about us?" Hanna states, a tint of worry in her voice. I suppress I smirk. Too late. But seriously, laying off Hanna may be a good idea. She's vulnerable and tried so hard to please Alison. She's been blinded by Alison for a while. She thought that Alison was the best thing around and she would endure the constant belittling if it meant being friends with Alison.

"How could they?" Emily says, biting her lip.

"Cameras?" Aria suggested.

"Too vintage." I say, moving on with the conversation, trying to gain more ideas for how I would go about learning the rest of their secrets.

"Someone we know is A, guys. They could be around even now." Hanna says. I discreetly flex my fingers. They have unintentionally, unknowingly figured out the secret of A.

"I think we'd know if a mysterious stalker stopped to have chitchat with us, wouldn't you?" I laugh light-heartedly. Aria nods in agreement. I'm safe.

Jenna was telling me her story and she said that she particularly didn't like Emily. She mentioned that she thought Emily pretended to be innocent and all these principles and values but when it came to Alison's torture, she didn't speak up. She forgave me for not doing so as 'when the time came'; I started an enemy attack against Alison, even though she's dead. She's indifferent towards Aria and Hanna, but she said she'd like to toy with Emily a little. That's not a problem. Suggestions are in fact very welcome.

Part of me thinks that I've now passed the point of no return, that I've completely lost it. That could be true, but this is not a game that I've lost or a competition that I didn't place first in. This is real life. And it sucks for some. If they make it that way. The ones who make their endeavours count are the ones who live and don't just survive. Yes, I'm bordering on evil, but that's how it must be. I've come across some trouble of how to mess with my 'friends' but I think now I've finally figured it out. I've given Jenna and Melissa untraceable phones so I can contact them whenever I need them. I think I need them now.

"Guys, I'm just going to make a call. I'll be right back. My mom just needs to know that I'm going to be home late today." I lie easily. Well, half of it is a lie. I am making a call.

I retreat to a secluded alcove and look around me for stalkers. Now I'm the top Rosewood stalker.

I completed the recruitment process a couple of days ago. The team now consists of six members.

I, Jenna, Melissa, Ian, Toby and Mona are all involved in this little scheme.

I got Mona to join easily. I just knew that Alison tormented her a lot and even I didn't stop it, Ali really laid it on thick to Mona just for being nerdy. I proposed the same idea to Lucas Gottesman, but he isn't one for revenge, it seems. Oh well. Six is plenty.

Toby was a completely different story. He returned to Rosewood right when I needed him. He wanted Alison dead just as much as half of Pennsylvania, I can imagine. He agreed instantly (Jenna had already contacted him about the team) and we got plotting together.

Then, something funny happened. We felt something. I'm infatuated with the boy. He's constantly on my mind and I can't seem to shake him from it.

I dial the numbers into my phone and call all five other phones. It's like group calling, but more extensive. Thanks, Caleb! They all pick up immediately and I begin to speak.

"I have your first mission ready. Toby, you're going to leave an obvious clue telling the girls that they can find out the identity of 'A' if they go to Rosewood cemetery at 11:00pm. Mona, you're going to purchase a set of dolls looking identical to the girls and me. That part is important. Make sure you get one resembling me too. It'll brow the whole cover if you don't. Then, you must get the owner to record messages when you pull the string. Jenna, you can go with her and think of the messages. I've told you lot everything I know about them, so just make something up. It has to be deep. Melissa, your job is to find a big box to place them in, and then buy some fireworks. I'll fill you in later. Ian, you have to supply us with a collection of black hoodies and black leather gloves. To protect out identities, that is essential. I'm going to be with them obviously. I'll need one of you to be in the forest to set everything up. Somebody has to remain behind the scenes to light the fireworks and then get out of there as fast as you can. Does anybody have any questions?"

There are several seconds of silence before Mona speaks up.

"What do I put in your doll?" Good question, Mona. Damn, I didn't think of that. Erm…

"Just put something like: 'Tell them your secret or watch them pay' or something like that. I'll invent a story later on. Anything else?"

Nothing.

"Good. So I'll send a text later on to check on progress. That's all, really."

I hang up the phone and return to my victims— I mean friends. I programmed the phone so the other members of 'A' couldn't text me. It'd be awfully horrible if I was to accidentally abandon my phone and for one of them to text me, leaving it privy for any of the Liars to read. So it's a great shock to me when a text comes through from 'Blocked ID'.

_ Glad you're enjoying yourself, Spencer. It's rather fun, isn't it? But a little tip for you? Get your own ideas. I'm always one step ahead of you. –A_

I quickly send out a mass text to ensure none of my little group sent it. Texts from 'MV', 'TC', 'JM', 'Melissa', and 'Ian' come through negative. So there really is another bitch out there using the 'A' persona. I have to stop this bitch before he/she unmasks me.

My friends are waiting patiently for me, unknowing of my little scheme, of course.

"How's your mom, Spencer?" Hanna asks casually.

"She's exhausted from work, really. She gets off early today, though." I lie, panicked. Fortunately, my years spent playing various roles at the theatre pay off. My façade is still intact, but for how much longer?

The day passes rather quickly. It turned out that Aria, Emily and Hanna had to leave early because of their respective commitments. That was perfect. It gave me more time to plan ahead for tonight. I gave Toby a quick buzz to check his status.

_How far along are you with the placing of the clue? –S_

A reply from him seconds later brightened my outlook on this scheme

. _All done. I've hidden a note inside each of their possessions. I hid Hanna's note inside that bottle of lotion she constantly uses, Emily's is tucked inside her laptop, Aria's is in her notebook, and yours is in your top dresser drawer. Nice Hello Kitty merchandise. ;) –Toby_

_Good thinking about giving me one. And hey! Hello Kitty is amazing! –S _

_Sure, sure. Let me know if you need me anymore. –Toby_

With that sorted out, I decide to check on Mona.

_Mona, everything going smoothly? –SH_

_Everything is going according to your plan, Spencer. –MV_

_What messages have you put inside the dolls? – SH_ _Well, Aria's says: "Tell Mommy or Mike gets it", Hanna's says: "Stop stealing or your mom finds out", Emily's says "Tell Daddy your little secret or else I will' and yours says what we planned before. –MV and JM_

_Good work, you two. Mona, I'd like it if you set off the fireworks. –S _

_Sure thing, Spence. I'll be there at 10:50. –M_

Excitement rushes through me as another part of my plan is a success.

_Melissa, you got the box and the fireworks yet? –Spencer_

_Got it, and I'm waiting for Ian to return with the hoodies and gloves. –Melissa_

_Okay, let me know when he gets back. –Spencer _

This is going to be great. I can feel it.

Those bitches won't know where to turn.

* * *

**A/N: Finally, I've had ideas for this. Now I have a couple of ideas, I can go ahead of write them. I bet some of you have lost faith in this being updated, but I finally did it! To those of you who are still waiting patiently, thank you and here you go. Reviews are amazing! x**


	3. An Explosive Event

Chapter 3

**Some strong language in this chapter**

10:45 finally comes. Aria picks us up in her car and we, three with grated nerves and one with excited nerves, start for the cemetery. It isn't far, and well easily get there for 11:00. Mona should already be there. She contacted me and said she was on her way, so I assume she is stationed in the trees. Ian successfully purchased the hoodies and I had distributed them to the other members. Mine is currently hidden in the back of my closet with Melissa's. I know what my 'friends' are like. They're curious and like to snoop around. If they find a hoodie in my house…game over. Mona had agreed to leave Jenna at her house for this one. I figure that the noise of fireworks may induce fright for her, seeing what that bitch Alison did to her. She wholeheartedly agreed to this, and Melissa would stay with her. Too many of us would be scarring. Ian would be snapping pictures of them in an incriminating position. In the cemetery alone, with a shovel that Toby planted when he travelled up with Mona. What would people think if they saw a group of girls with a shovel? I'm not worried about getting into any kind of trouble. My mother is a high ranking attorney and I'm sure she can bail me out of any hot water. I do also think that she doesn't really have the calibre to deal with four criminals at once, and who else is willing to put major bucks on her saving her own daughter?

The scenery rushes past us in a blur. We sit, unspeaking until we reach the cemetery. Each girl is troubled by her own problems. Emily's struggling with her feelings for Maya, Aria's trying to keep her dad's secret, but she's barely succeeding. Our little experiment should push her over the metaphorical edge. Hanna is dealing with her…'selective vomiting' and the secret of –A, plus the secret of her mother and Detective Wilden. Yes, Hanna, we know all about that. A knows everything. Collectively, we're a knowledgeable group of people. Hanna got caught shoplifting, so her mother slept with Detective Wilden to save her daughter's ass. Mona is her best friend…well sort of, since she's on the A-Team that is bent on destroying her, and she agreed to keep that one under lock and key. I have the biggest secret. I'm –A. Sometimes, it's tempting to just shout it out to them just to see what chaos would unfold. I'm not stupid, though. I'm keeping this secret safe. I'm also handling the secret of another –A. I think this one is an 'Anti A-Team' kind of enemy. He or she is siding with the Liars and is trying to take us down, bit by bit.

Toby received an A text from that psychopath yesterday.

_Toby, _

_Spencer is playing you. She doesn't love you. Join me and take that bitch down. –A_

It was a pretty pathetic attempt to lure one of my members into that whore's little club. Toby knows what I feel for him. Whether it is love now, I'm not sure, but I am pretty sure that it's going down that winding route.

"Spencer!" Aria waves her slender hand in front of my face. I must've zoned out thinking about Toby again.

"What? Sorry. I was up in the clouds. I'm just excited we'll finally get to find out whom –A is." I lie easily. I call them the Liars, but I'm lying more than they are.

"That's if we do. I doubt this bitch is going to reveal themselves just yet." Emily pipes up.

"So then why are we here?" Hanna comments.

"Just to see if we can be smarter than A is. If they're leaving us a trail, then they mustn't be that intelligent." Aria answers. My fists clench. Don't make me laugh, Aria. You have myself, my sister and Mona Vanderwall. We are three of the most intellectual people in Rosewood. I just let the comment slide and give myself a mental pat on the back.

"Let's just hope A makes a mistake." I chip in. I think I'm doing a pretty convincing job at hiding my true identity from the trio of unknowing girls.

We all exit the car and head towards the cemetery.

Rosewood Cemetery is basically a huge space filled with the remains of late family members and friends. Apart from that, there's a gardener's tool shed, and a whole lot of greenery. Trees as far as the eye can see. It's perfect coverage for my little lighting display being undertaken by Mona. We advance further into the cemetery and a sudden spotlight appears. I frown.

This isn't part of the plan.

The spotlight manoeuvres itself so it is shining on a certain patch of ground. Instantly, I know which patch it is. I say nothing and keep walking, following Emily who is furthest ahead.

We arrive at the spotlight and look down.

_Alison DiLaurentis  
Loving daughter, sister and friend  
Authority. Love. Independence. Vitality. Emotion. _

That's odd, I think. Somebody's changed Alison's headstone. It looks like an exact replica of the one we saw last, though. Then I catch the hidden message. A. L. I.V.E. Alive? Alison is alive? Not possible! I made sure that she was dead when I hit her and buried her? Oh, shit. Maybe somebody found her and pulled her out and she was in fact alive. Fuck. Now she'll be coming to get me. She knows it was me that hit her. She does, and that makes me nervous.

"Oh my god!" Emily hisses.

"Somebody actually led us here. That's just sick." Aria remarks. No, Aria, you're wrong. That's Phase One.

The spotlight moves to what I presume is the location of the box with the dolls inside. I am proven to be correct as we walk over to the new location of the spotlight and see a wooden crate with a small, handwritten tag on it. _Well done, Melissa. _

_Dear Liars, inside is a little surprise. Handle with care though, they'll prove to be very important to you. _

-A

Hastily, Hanna opens the box.

Inside, as planned, the four dolls lie abstractly. I actually gasp. Having not seen them before, I take in the sight of the realistic figures just lying there. They do actually really resemble the four of us. Aria reluctantly takes her doll from the box. Hanna and Emily both look at her worriedly.

"Aria, don't pull the string!" Emily warns. Wrong, Emily Fields. I think she'll want to pull the string. It will benefit her greatly, trust me.

"Emily, come on. Live a little." Aria says, a rather bitchy tone to her voice.

"Aria!" I reprimand her. The smoother this goes, the better for everyone. Aria glares at me and pulls the string anyway.

A high voice plays out and is clear in the tranquil environment.

"_Tell Mommy or Mike gets it." _It says almost eerily. Aria's eyes widen immensely. She thinks that nobody apart from her, Meredith, Byron and Alison know about the affair. Little does she know, an extra six people know about it.

"Aria, what is it talking about? What do you have to tell your mother?" Emily asks inquisitively. Aria bites her lip (one of her nervous habits) and shakes her head quickly. She looks on the verge of tears. _Come on Aria, live a little_, I mock in my head.

"I don't want to pull mine anymore." Hanna whispers.

"I'll do it." I speak up. I need to get this ball rolling and soon. Mona's probably bored to death standing by the fireworks, with us just in view so she knows when to illuminate this place. I handle my doll carefully and nimbly pull the string.

"_Tell them your secret or watch them pay." _My doll replica announces in a singsong voice. It's so realistic, I'd almost believe somebody made it for me. "Oh god." I whisper.

"Spencer, who do you have to tell what?"

"I think it's you guys. It could be my parents, but I tell them everything. I'll tell you afterwards, we just need to play the dolls and get the hell out of here."

Emily eyes the box cautiously before clutching her own doll by its head, as if she's afraid it's going to bite her ass. Maybe it will, metaphorically.

"_Tell Daddy your little secret or else I will." _The childish voice of Emily's doll echoes around the whole cemetery. I make my eyes widen in surprise.

"Em…"

"Don't, Spencer. I know what this is. I'll…I'll do it."

It must be hard to come out of the closet…but to be honest, I don't really care.

"Hanna, come on." I urge gently. Poor Mona must be twiddling her thumbs and probably painting her toenails she's that bored.

"Alright. I just really freaking hate dolls, you guys."

"I can pull it for you if you want?" I suggest. Hanna looks so frightened, bless her. Spencer, no time for sympathy.

"Thank you." She whispers as I grab the doll.

"Here's to this bitch!" I say and yank the string forcefully.

"_Stop stealing or Mommy finds out." _Hanna bites her lip as the voice rings out loudly. Surprisingly, she sighs in relief.

"Hanna, you steal? From stores?" Aria questions. It seems that bitch has gotten over her little episode.

"Only a couple of times, okay? Mona's been there with me, she does it too." Hanna confesses. I can see Mona filching items for poor, dazed shop assistants. That's the kind of mentality you need to be on the A-Team. Don't suffer fools.

"It's alright, Hanna. We'll figure something out." I say confidently. We will. Maybe not for Aria and Emily, but for Hanna, an exception may be made.

"Now that's all over with, let's get out of—." I start, and stop right on cue.

Suddenly, a blaze of fireworks explode nearby. _Nicely timed, Mona. _She'll be a valuable member.

"Wait here guys, it's probably A. I'll go and chase this bitch. Stay here in case she comes this way." I lie expertly.

I dash into the trees, the noise of my boots crunching the leaves hidden by the explosive crackling of the light display provided by the A-Team. I find Mona quickly, and she stood smirking against a tree in her 'A' attire.

"I see everything went to plan." She laughed as I walked towards her.

"Listen, Mona, I can't stay long because they'll be expecting me, but just know that you've done a great job today. I'm making you second in charge."

"Thank you, Spencer." She replied.

"Go, Mona. Get out of here! Just run." Mona flitted away, like a graceful Tinkerbell in a black hoodie with black leather gloves on.

The fireworks died away, sparks dissipating into the atmosphere and I froze as the three other girls caught up to me. I acted instantly and effectively.

I began to pant like I had just been running.

"I…Almost…Got Her. She…Ran…Away…Too…Fast." I struggled out. My dramatic performance was really deserving of Best Actress at the next Academy Awards Ceremony. I should really be nominated. Movie title: Torment. About a girl who has lost her way and becomes totally evil and starts to torture her old best friends by keeping all of their secrets hostage and sending them anonymous threats in the form of text messages or evil, replications of them such as evil children's dolls and the like.

"Ugh, we'll get that bitch next time." Aria says, a certain fire in her eyes. It could be determination, regret or just anger. Hanna and Emily just look worried. I am the indifferent glue that holds us all together. The glue that unstuck itself from the paper it was meant to be holding and attached itself to another type of material. A thicker skinned material that takes no prisoners.

But this little plot got the ball rolling.

And now they know that A means business.

And we do.

* * *

**A/N: I'm so sorry! I would've had this uploaded two days ago but I just moved in to my new house tonight and the Wi-Fi was down so I couldn't. I did use the time I was disconnected to add a little more to this chapter though no there was no real loss. Anyway, I apologise again and I hope you enjoy!**


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